Particleboard from oil palm empty fruit bunch fibers

Particleboards at varying resin contents (6,8 and 10%), board densities (561, 641 and 721 kg m-3) and 1% wax content were produced from short and long fibre strands obtained from oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB). Control boards without the addition of wax were also produced. All the variables (except for wax) were found to have highly significant effects on board properties. Wax was found to affect only the thickness swelling. All boards made from short fibre strands failed to meet all the requirements of the British Standard BS 5669-1989. Boards from long fibre strands were able to meet the minimum requirements of the standards for mechanical properties. However, all boards failed to meet the 8% thickness swelling value as stipulated in the standards.